Collapsible and automatically openable umbrella

ABSTRACT

A collapsible umbrella automatically openable, without impact when opened, upon a mere depression of a buttoned latch means provided in the lower portion of the main shaft and requiring no overturn of rib joints when folded is obtained by the arrangement comprising, in combination: a main shaft formed with a tubular outer upper shaft member having a latch-engaging slit and slidably mounted on a tubular inner lower shaft member via a compressible spring means contained in said outer shaft member; an auxiliary tubular member mounted slidably on the main shaft and extending upwardly through a ringlike intermediate member mounted on said main shaft in detachable engagement with the lower end of said auxiliary tubular member, said intermediate member carrying a spoke for slidably and pivotably supporting the main rib member of a corresponding rib via an attachment member slidably mounted on the main rib member; a tubular lower member having latch-engaging holes and supporting rod members for pivotably supporting said spokes and being slidably mounted on said main shaft; a compressible spring means mounted on the main shaft between said ringlike intermediate member and said tubular lower member and being securely retained at its lower end in said tubular lower member for pushing said intermediate member upwardly while pulling the lower member upwardly on the main shaft while providing more distance therebetween, each main rib member having an auxiliary rib member secured to said attachment and capable of being received in said main rib member to reduce the length of the corresponding rib as the inner shaft is forced to be received in the outer shaft to collapse the umbrella.

States Patent Yasuda et al.

[ 51 ar. 2, W72

[54] COLLAPSKBLE AND AUTOMATICALLY OPENABLIE UMBRELLA [72] Inventors: Hiroyuki Yasuda, Funabashi; Choji Aral, Showa-Machi, Kitakatsushika-gun, both of Japan [73] Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ideal, Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: May 6, 1970 211 App]. No.: 35,127

Primary ExaminerPeter M. Caun AttorneyCushman, Darby & Cushman [5 7] ABSTRACT A collapsible umbrella automatically openable, without impact when opened, upon a mere depression of a buttoned latch means provided in the lower portion of the main shaft and requiring no overturn of rib joints when folded is obtained by the arrangement comprising, in combination: a main shaft formed with a tubular outer upper shaft member having a latch-engaging slit and slidably mounted on a tubular inner lower shaft member via a compressible spring means contained in said outer shaft member; an auxiliary tubular member mounted slidably on the main shaft and extending upwardly through a ringlike intermediate member mounted on said main shaft in detachable engagement with the lower end of said auxiliary tubular member, said intermediate member carrying a spoke for slidably and pivotably supporting the main rib member of a corresponding rib via an attachment member slidably mounted on the main rib member; a tubular lower member having latch-engaging holes and supporting rod members for pivotably supporting said spokes and being slidably mounted on said main shaft; a compressible spring means mounted on the main shaft between said ringlike intermediate member and said tubular lower member and being securely retained at its lower end in said tubular lower member for pushing said intermediate member upwardly while pulling the lower member upwardly on the main shaft while providing more distance therebetween, each main rib member having an auxiliary rib member secured to said attachment and capable of being received in said main rib member to reduce the length of the corresponding rib as the inner shaft is forced to be received in the outer shaft to collapse the umbrella.

2 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures P'ATENTEDMAM m2 SHEET 1 OF 3 ab 2 m %6 FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is concerned with an umbrella, and more particularly, it relates to a collapsible and automatically openable umbrella.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible and automatically openable umbrella structure having a main shaft equipped with a fixed ring at the top end thereof and having a plurality of radially extending ribs each being pivotably secured at one to said fixed ring and having a grip provided at the lower end of said main shaft, by the provision of the arrangement, in combination, that:

said main shaft has a tubular outer upper shaft member containing a compressible spring means therein, a latch-engaging slit formed in the lower portion thereof, and a tubular inner lower shaft member having a latch-engaging slot formed in the lower portion thereof and being slidably inserted in said outer upper shaft member via said compressible spring means;

and further that said umbrella has:

a ringlike intennediate member slidably mounted on the main shaft and each carrying a rib-supporting spoke pivotably secured at one end to said ringlike intermediate member;

an auxiliary tubular member slidably mounted on the main shaft through said ringlike intermediate member and adapted to engage at its lower end with said ringlike intermediate member;

said ribs each having a main rib member mounted by an attachment member carrying an auxiliary rib member secured at one end to said attachment member capable of sliding on said main rib member,

each of said rib-supporting spokes being pivotably secured at the other end to said slidable attachment member;

a tubular lower member having at least one latch-engaging hole formed at the lower portion thereof and being slidably mounted on the main shaft below said ringlike intermediate member and each carrying a supporting rod member pivotably secured at one end to said tubular lower member and at the other end to an intermediate portion of said spoke,

a compressible spring means mounted on the main shaft between said ringlike intermediate member and said tubular lower member and securely retained at its lower end in said tubular lower member, and

a springlike latch means contained in the lower portion of said tubular inner lower shaft member and having a latch projection normally protruding through the aligned latch-engaging slot, slit and hole when the umbrella is collapsed and capable of being depressed into this tubular inner lower shaft member when the umbrella is to be opened.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible, automatically openable umbrella structure of the type described but which is smoothly openable without disagreeable impact when the umbrella is opened to also contribute for the prolongation of the service life of the component members, by the provision of the arrangement that:

said auxiliary tubular member has a flange formed at the lower end thereof;

said ringlike intermediate member is slidably mounted on the lower end portion of said auxiliary tubular member and is provided at its lower end with an integrally formed open bottomed annular member slidably mounted on the main shaft and housing the flanged lower end portion of said auxiliary tubular member and having an inner space sufiicient for the flanged lower end portion of said auxiliary tubular member to effect sliding movement on the main shaft in said space in the annular member and also sufficient for accommodating the other end of said compressible spring means mounted on said main shaft through said open bottom of the annular member; and

said flange at the lower end of said auxiliary tubular member is engaged by said other end of the compressible spring means mounted on the main shaft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the umbrella frame of the present invention, showing the state of being opened;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same umbrella frame, showing the state of being closed by pulling the tubular lower member downwardly on the main shaft;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same umbrella frame, showing the state in which the auxiliary rib members together with the main rib members coupled thereto are gathered together and the free ends of the auxiliary rib members are engaged inside the open top of the grip;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same umbrella frame, showing the state in which the umbrella is further collapsed by pushing the fixed top ring toward the grip to force the tubular inner lower shaft member to be received in the tubular outer upper shaft member;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing the state in which the tubular outer upper shaft member is fixed to the tubular inner lower shaft member by means of two snap locking beads after these two shaft members have been fully extended relative to each other;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line VI-Vl in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing the state in which the tubular inner lower shaft member is slightly received into the tubular outer upper shaft member, with one of the beads being depressed of its position radially up to the inner surface of said outer upper shaft member;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing the state in which the tubular inner lower shaft member is received more deeply into the tubular outer upper shaft member, with both of the beads being depressed of their positions up to the inner surface of said outer upper shaft member;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the auxiliary tubular member for the ringlike intermediate member;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the ringlike intermediate member;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the compressible spring means adapted to be interposed between the ringlike intermediate member and the tubular lower member on the main shaft; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the tubular lower member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will hereunder be described in further detail on the preferred embodiments by referring to the accompanying drawings, which are given simply by way of example.

In the drawings, like parts are indicated by like reference numerals for the simplicity of explanation.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 1 represents a tubular outer upper shaft member having a fixed top ring 2 secured at the top portion thereof around a ferrule 3 provided at the top end of the outer upper shaft member 1. Numeral 4 represents a tubular inner lower shaft member slidably received in said tubular outer upper shaft member 1. To this end, said tubular inner lower shaft member 4 is of an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular outer upper shaft member 1. This tubular inner lower shaft member 4 is provided, at its lower end, with a grip 5 and also, at its top end, with a plug 4a which closes the top end of said tubular inner lower shaft member 4. A compressible coil spring 6 having its lower end contacting the top face of said plug 40 of the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 is inserted in the tubular outer upper shaft member 1. The tubular inner lower shaft member 4 is provided, longitudinally on the outer surface thereof, with a recessed groove 7. On the other hand, the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 is provided with a ridge 8 extending inwardly radially from the inner surface thereof in such a size and a configuration as will be suitable for being slidably received in said longitudinal recessed groove 7 formed on the outer surface of the tubular inner lower shaft member 4. Accordingly, the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 is allowed to slide rectilinearly along the outer surface of the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 in the directions away from and toward the lower portion of the latter shaft member 4 without rotating around the latter. The tubular inner lower shaft member 4 is provided, at the upper end portion but below its plug 4a, with a pair ofsmall openings formed through the wall thereof in diametrically opposite directions avoiding the location of the recessed groove 7, each of these small openings having a size and configuration sufficient for the passage therethrough of a major portion of a bead 9 of a pair of beads 9 and 9 of a snap locking means which will be described hereunder in further detail. This snap locking means is formed with a generally U-shaped leaf spring having a bead 9 secured on the outer surface of each of the bifurcate legs of the leaf spring at a position closer to the free ends of these legs, and the portions of the outer surfaces of the legs located closer to the continuous joint of this U-shape are secured to the opposite portions of the inner surface of the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 at such positions of the inner surface of this member 4 as will permit said beads 9 and 9 to freely pass through the small openings formed through the wall of this latter shaft member 4. On the other hand, the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 is provided, at the lower portion thereof, with a pair of small openings and 10 formed through the wall thereof in diametrically opposite directions avoiding the location of the ridge 8 in such a fashion as will be aligned with the positions of the small openings and accordingly the beads 9 and 9 of the tubular inner lower shaft member 4, each of these small openings 10 and 10 having a size and a configuration sufficient for the passage therethrough of the corresponding bead 9 of the snap locking means secured to the inner surface of the tubular inner lower shaft member 4. Accordingly, in the fully extended position of the main shaft, i.e., in the state that the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 is fully withdrawn outwardly from the tubular outer upper shaft member 1, these two shaft members 4 and l are locked together by the beads 9 and 9 protruding from the inner lower shaft member 4 and engagingly extending through the small openings 10 and 10 of the outer upper shaft member 1. The tubular outer upper shaft member 1 is provided also with another small opening 11 of the same size and configuration as that of said small opening 10, a small distance above one of the two small openings 10 and 10 in alignment therewith. When the grip 5 which is secured to the lower end of the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 is pushed toward the top end of the main shaft and when, as a result, the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 is pushed for a small distance upwardly into the tubular outer upper shaft member 1, one bead 9 of said pair of beads 9 and 9 will engage in this small opening 11 so that the grip 5 may be inhibited of its further upward movement and may be locked in its shifted position. The inner end, i.e., the upper end of each main rib member 12 of ribs is pivotably secured to the fixed top ring 2 so that the ribs radially outwardly extend therefrom. Each of these main rib members 12 is of a generally U-shaped sheathlike cross section. This main rib member 12 is mounted by a sliding attachment member 13 capable of sliding on the main rib member 12. An annular stopper member 14 is secured to the other or forward free end of each of these main rib member 12 to prevent said slidable attachment member 13 from detaching off the main rib member 12. An auxiliary rib member 15 formed with a length of rod of a small diameter is inserted inside the U- shaped cross section of the main rib member 12 after passing through said annular stopper member 14. The inner end of said auxiliary rib member 15 is coupled to the slidable attachment member 13 so that, along with the sliding movement of the slidable attachment member 13 on the main rib member 12, the auxiliary rib member 15 is allowed to be withdrawn, in alignment with the main rib member 12, from the latter member 12 and to be received into the main rib member 12, to thereby be able to extend and reduce the length of each rib as a whole. A spoke 17 is pivotably coupled at one end to said slidable attachment member 13 and also at the other end to a ringlike intermediate member 16 which is mounted, for sliding, on the main shaft comprised of the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 and the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 and which will be described later in further detail. Therefore, the rib-supporting spokes 17 in a number corresponding to the number of the ribs extend radially from said ringlike intermediate member 16. This ringlike intermediate member 16 is provided, at its lower end edge, with an annular member 16a which is formed integrally therewith. An auxiliary tubular member 18 having a flange formed at the lower end edge thereof is mounted slidably on the main shaft in such a way that said auxiliary tubular member 18 extends upwardly around the main shaft through the central bore 16b of said annular member 16a and through said ringlike intermediate member 16 and that the upper face of the flange 180 formed at the lower end of the auxiliary tubular member 18 is adapted to be in contact with the lower face of the ringlike intermediate member 16 within said space in the annular member 160. Accordingly, when the ringlike intennediate member 16 makes an upward movement on the tubular outer upper shaft member 1, the auxiliary tubular member 18 is allowed to move upwardly and finally the top end edge of the auxiliary tubular member 18 will hit the lower face of the fixed top ring 2 to stop thereat.

It should be understood that, according to the present invention, the auxiliary tubular member 18 is not fixed integrally to the ringlike intermediate member 16, but that, instead, the member 18 is coupled thereto so as to be freely detachable thereform. Accordingly, as the auxiliary tubular member 18 is forced to make an upward movement on the main shaft owing to the intensive spring action applied to the flange 18a formed at the lower end of the auxiliary tubular member 18 by a coil spring 26 which is mounted on the main shaft and which will be discussed later, the ringlike intermediate member 16 which is engaged by said flange 18a will also be forced to make an upward movement on the main shaft jointly and cooperatively with said auxiliary tubular member 18. During this upward movement of the auxiliary tubular member 18, the top end edge thereof will hit the lower face of the fixed top ring 2 and will abruptly stop thereat. However, the ringlike intermediate member 16 will make a further upward movement for a slight distance owing to its inertia, with the result that the contact between the lower face of the ringlike intermediate member 16 and the upper face of the flange 18a of the auxiliary tubular member 18 will be relieved. As a consequence, the intensive impact to which is subjected the auxiliary tubular member 18 is not transmitted directly to the ringlike intermediate member 16 so that the impact is reduced tremendously before being transmitted to said ringlike intermediate member 16. Thus, no undesirable impact is imparted to the pivotal joint between the ringlike intermediate member 16 and the spoke 17 or to the pivotal joint between the spoke 17 and the slidable attachment member 13 mounted on the main rib member 12 or to an attachment piece 19 mounted on said spoke for pivotably securing a supporting rod member 20 intended to pivotably supporting the spoke 17 at an intermediate portion thereof which will be described later. This means that these joints and the attachment piece are protected and prevented from being damaged from said impact arising at the time the top end edge of the auxiliary tubular member 18 hits the lower face of the fixed top ring 2.

As has been described above, a supporting rod member 20 is pivotably secured at one end to an attachment piece 19 which is securely mounted at an appropriate intermediate portion on the spoke 17 and at the other end secured pivotably to a ringlike lower member 21 which, in turn, is adapted to slide up and down below the ringlike intermediate member 16 on the main shaft which is comprised of the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 and the tubular inner lower shaft member 4. The ringlike lower member 21 is mounted securely on the upper end portion of a tubular member 23 which is adapted to be loosely mounted on the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 with an appropriate gap 22 left from the external circumferential surface of the latter shaft member 1. A grip tube 24 having a diameter smaller than that of the tubular member 23 by the provision of a shoulder 23a is formed beneath the lower end edge of the tubular member 23 integrally therewith. The grip tube 24 is provided with vertically aligned two latch-engaging holes 25 and 250 formed therethrough. A compressible coil spring 26 is mounted on the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 between the shoulder 23a located within the gap 22 of the tubular member 23 and the flanged edge 18a formed at the lower end of the auxiliary tubular member 18 which is inserted through the annular member 160 of the ringlike intermediate member 16. This compressible coil spring 26 is of a spring force which is slightly weaker than that of the compressible coil spring 6 which is inserted in the tubular outer shaft member 1. A springlike latch means 27 is inserted in the lower portion of the tubular inner lower shaft member 4. This springlike latch means 27 is formed with a latch projection 27a which protrudes outside the wall of the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 through a slot 4b formed therethrough. Said springlike latch means 27 is formed with a bent lower end portion to protrude outside the wall of the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 through said slot 4b and to extend therefrom to the outside of the open top end 5a of the grip 5. The free end of this portion of the springlike latch means 27 is provided with a button 28 to facilitate the depression of this springlike latch means 27.

Description has been directed to the structure of the umbrella frame representing one embodiment of the present invention. Hereunder will be made a description on the manner in which this umbrellais opened. In the state of the umbrella frame which is collapsed as shown in FIG. 4, the button 28 is depressed with a tip of the user's finger while gripping the grip 5 with one of his hands. Whereupon, the button will retreat up to a position as indicated by the chain line shown in FIG. 4. Along with this, the latch projection 27a will be relieved of its engagement with the latch-engaging hole 25 of the tubular member 23 of the ringlike lower member 21 and also with the latch-en gaging slit 1a formed at the lower portion of the tubular outer upper shaft member 1, and will retreat completely within the tubular inner lower shaft member 4, thus releasing the engagement between the ringlike lower member 21 and the tubular outer upper shaft member 1.

Because the compressible coil spring 6 inserted in the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 is of a spring force greater than that of the compressible coil spring 26 contained in the tubular member 23 of the ringlike lower member 21, the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 first will be caused by the spring action of said compressible coil spring 6 to slide straight in the direction away from the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 in alignment therewith. When the lower end of said outer shaft member 1 has travelled up to a point close to the upper end portion of the tubular inner lower shaft member 4, the beads 9 and 9 of the snap locking means which is contained within this latter shaft member 4 will engage in the small openings 10 and 10 formed in the lower end portion of the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 so that these two shaft members 1 and 4 will be locked in their extended positions. Along with this movement of the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 relative to the tubular inner lower shaft member 4, the fixed top ring 2 provided at the upper end of the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 will shift its position upwardly. Along with this, the main rib members 12 will pivot upwardly at the pivotal joints of the fixed top ring 2 through their corresponding slidable attachment members 13 until the annular stopper members 14 which are provided at the lower ends of the main shaft members 12 hit their mating slidable attachment members 13. As a consequence, the main rib members 12 and their corresponding auxiliary rib members 15 which are coupled to the slidable attachment members 13 are rendered to the straightly aligned fully extended positions relative to each other. Then, the ringlike lower member 21 and the ringlike intermediate member 16 are pushed upwardly by the spring action of the compressible coil spring 26 first on the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 and then on the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 both of which have been already rendered to their straight, fully extended positions to provide a main shaft, while spreading both the spoke-supporting rod members 20 and the rib-supporting spokes l7, and thus, the main rib members 12 are spread fully.

It should be noted that the ringlike intermediate member 16 will continue its upward sliding movement until the upper end edge of the mating auxiliary tubular member 18 which projects upwardly beyond the upper face of the ringlike intermediate member 16 hits the lower face of the fixed top ring 2 and is stopped thereby. 0n the other hand, the ringlike lower member 21 will continue it upward sliding movement on the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 up to a position at which the spring force of the compressible coil spring 26 mounted around the main shaft is brought into balance with the tension of the umbrella cloth C which is provided to cover the main rib members 12 and their mating auxiliary rib members 15, and said ringlike lower member 21 will stop its upward movement voluntarily at such a position. Accordingly, in the spread position of the umbrella shown in FIG. 1, the distance between the ringlike intermediate member 16 and the ringlike lower member 21 is markedly greater than that of these two members in the collapsed position of the umbrella shown in FIG. 4 owing to the spring force exerted by the compressible coil spring 26 which is inserted therebetween.

Description will hereunder be made on the manner in which the umbrella is closed and collapsed from its opened state. The grip tube 24 of the ringlike lower member 21 may be pulled downwardly on the main shaft from the opened state of the umbrella. whereupon, the rib-supporting spoke is caused to pivot downwardly via the spoke-supporting rod member 20 as the ringlike intermediate member 16 is pulled downwardly via said spoke-supporting rod member 20 which is pivotably coupled to the ringlike lower member 21, causing the slidable attachment member 13 to which the foremost end of the ribsupporting spoke 17 is pivotably secured to be pulled toward the main shaft, so that the main rib member 12 as well as the auxiliary rib member 15 are closed in the manner as shown in FIG. 2. Along with this, the compressible coil spring 26 is compressed to attract the ringlike intermediate member 16 toward the ringlike lower member 21. In these relative positions of the ringlike members, the latch projection 27a of the springlike latch means 27 engages the latch-engaging hole 250 of the grip tube 24, rendering the umbrella to the closed state. Thereafter, the free ends of the auxiliary rib members 15 of the umbrella which is now in the closed state may be gathered together and the grip 5 may be pushed toward the opposite end of the main shaft. This movement of the grip 5 will cause the beads 9 and 9 of the snap locking means provided in the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 to be relieved of their engagement with the small openings 10 and 10 of the tubular outer upper shaft member 1, and as a consequence, the inner lower shaft member 4 enters for a small distance into the tubular outer upper shaft member 1. During this movement of the inner lower shaft member 4, one of the beads 9 and 9 of this latter member 4 engages in the slit 11 of the outer upper shaft member 1 to stop further movement of said inner lower shaft member 4. In this state of the umbrella, the foremost ends of the auxiliary rib member 15 engage in the inner edge of the open top 5a of the grip 5 to provide the state as shown in F IG. 3. On the other hand, the latch projection 27a of the springlike latch means 27 also engages in the latch-engaging hole 25 which is formed a short distance above the latch-engaging hole 25a in the grip tube 24.

Thereafter, in the state of the umbrella shown in FIG. 3, a relatively intensive force may be applied externally onto the ferrule 3 which is provided on the outer face of the fixed top ring 2 while holding the grip 5 in one of the users hands. whereupon, the compressible coil spring 6 housed in the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 will be caused to be compressed, resulting in the relief of the engagement between the bead 9 and the slit 11. As a consequence, the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 will be pushed toward the bottom of the tubular inner lower shaft member 4 while progressively receiving the latter member 4 into the former member 1 further reducing the length of the main shaft. whereupon, the lowermost end of the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 will pass through the auxiliary tubular member 18 of the ringlike intermediate member 16, the tubular member 23 of the ringlike lower member 21 and through the grip tube 24, and furthermore, the lowermost end edge of the tubular outer upper shaft member 1 will cause the latch projection 27a of the springlike latching means 27 to retreat temporarily. As a result of the further downward travel of said outer upper shaft member 1, the latch projection 27a will be caused to protrude again, owing to the downward shifting of the position of the latch-engaging slit la of said outer upper shaft member 1, through this slit 1a and the aligned latch-engaging hole 25 of the grip tube 24 to engage therein. When the latch projection 27a retreats temporarily to be relieved from its engagement in the latchengaging hole 25 of the grip tube 24, the main rib member 12 is making its downward pivotal movement along with the downward sliding movement of the tubular outer upper shaft member 1, and at the same time, the slidable attachment member 13 is making a sliding movement close to the upper end of the main rib member 12. On the other hand, the foremost end of the auxiliary rib member is anchored within the open top 5a of the grip 5. Therefore, the main rib member 12 as well as the auxiliary rib member 15 are not allowed to spread. Accordingly, the compressible coil spring 26 is in the compressed state, and the ringlike lower member 21 is stationary in its lowermost position. As a result of the secondary protrusion of the latch projection 27a, the umbrella is held positively in its collapsed state shown in FIG. 4.

The umbrella cloth C is secured at its upper end to the ferrule 3 and its lower end to the fastening hole 15a of the auxiliary rib member 15, and at its intermediate portion stitched to the slidable attachment member 13. Accordingly, when the umbrella is collapsed, there will be developed a sagging of the upper portion of the cloth which will be folded in such a shape as shown by the chain lines in FIG. 4 which resembles the shape ofa mushroom.

The umbrella according to one embodiment of the present invention which has been described above is of the foregoing arrangement to be operative in a unique automatic fashion that upon the depression of the button 28 extending above the grip 5, the main shaft will first stretch unidirectionally because of the difference between the compressible coil springs 6 and 26. Along with this, the main rib member 12 and the auxiliary rib member 15 will also stretch in straight alignment. Then, the ringlike lower member 21 and the ringlike intermediate member 16 will make upward sliding movement on the extended main shaft, while spreading both the spoke-supporting rod member and the rib-supporting spoke 17, thus automatically opening the umbrella. Furthermore, in the state of the umbrella being closed by pulling the ringlike lower member 21 downwardly up to a position close to the grip 5, the ferrule 3 is depressed. whereupon, the main shaft will be reduced in its length, and along with this, the auxiliary rib member 15 will be received within the main rib member 12, while the cloth will be folded in a relatively small mushroom shape. Thus, the umbrella of the present invention provides for a very high smooth operations in automatic opening, folding and collapsing of the umbrella. This will give a great convenience to the user in carrying it, and moreover, the umbrella can be opened automatically by the use of only one of the user's hands.

It should be noted also that the umbrella of the present invention is such that the auxiliary tubular member 18 is not fixed integrally to the ringlike intermediate member 16, but instead, they are coupled for free contact and detachment. Accordingly, when the auxiliary tubular member 18 is forced to slide upwardly on the main shaft by the spring force of the compressible coil spring 26, and when, as a result, the top end edge of said tubular member 18 hits the lower face of the fixed top ring 2, said un-integral structure of the members 18 and 16 will serve to effectively mitigate the impact which will be imparted to the ringlike intermediate member 16, thus preventing the pivotal joints of the umbrella frame from being damaged. Accordingly, even when the umbrella is abruptly opened owing to the intensive spring force of a strong coil spring, there will arise no disorder in the pivotal joints of the frame, and thus the umbrella can be used for a prolonged period of time under delightful mode of operation.

lclaim:

1. A collapsible, automatically and smoothly openable umbrella structure which concludes its opening operation without impact, comprising:

a main shaft equipped with a fixed ring at the top end thereof and having a plurality of radially extending ribs each being pivotably secured at one end to said fixed ring and having a grip provided at the lower end of said main shaft;

said main shaft having a tubular outer upper shaft member containing a compressible spring means therein, a latchengaging slit formed in the lower portion thereof of said main shaft, and a tubular inner lower shaft member having a latch-engaging slot formed in the lower portion thereof and being telescopically, slidably inserted in said outer upper shaft member and urged to extend axially therefrom by said compressible spring means; ringlike intermediate member slidably mounted on the main shaft and carrying a rib-supporting spoke pivotably secured at one end to said ringlike intermediate member; an auxiliary tubular member slidably mounted on the main shaft and carrying a rib-supporting spoke pivotably secured at one end to said ringlike intermediate member; an auxiliary tubular member slidably mounted on the main shaft through said ringlike intermediate member and adapted to engage at its lower end with said ringlike intermediate member; said ribs each having a main rib member on which an attachment member carrying an auxiliary rib member secured at one end to said attachment member is slidably mounted, each of said rib-supporting spokes being pivotably secured at the other end thereof to said slidable attachment member; a tubular lower member having at least one latch-engaging hole formed at the lower portion thereof and being slidably mounted on the main shaft below said ringlike intennediate member and each carrying a supporting rod member pivotably secured at one end to said tubular lower member and at the other end to an intermediate portion of said spoke; compressible spring means mounted on the main shaft between said ringlike intermediate member and said tubular lower member and securely retained at its lower end in said tubular lower member; and

a springlike latch means contained in the lower portion of said tubular inner lower shaft member and having a latch projection normally protruding through the aligned latchengaging slot, slit and hole when the umbrella is collapsed and capable of being depressed into this tubular inner lower shaft member when the umbrella is to be opened.

2. A collapsible, automatically and smoothly openable umbrella structure according to claim 1 further comprising:

said auxiliary tubular member having a flange formed at the lower end thereof;

member and also sufficient for accommodating the other end of said compressible spring means mounted on said main shaft through said open bottom of the annular member; and

said flange at the lower end of said auxiliary tubular member being engaged by said other end of the compressible spring means mounted on the main shaft. 

1. A collapsible, automatically and smoothly openable umbrella structure which concludes its opening operation without impact, comprising: a main shaft equipped with a fixed ring at the top end thereof and having a plurality of radially extending ribs each being pivotably secured at one end to said fixed ring and having a grip provided at the lower end of said main shaft; said main shaft having a tubular outer upper shaft member containing a compressible spring means therein, a latchengaging slit formed in the lower portion thereof of said main shaft, and a tubular inner lower shaft member having a latchengaging slot formed in the lower portion thereof and being telescopically, slidably inserted in said outer upper shaft member and urged to extend axially therefrom by said compressible spring means; a ring-like intermediate member slidably mounted on the main shaft and carrying a rib-supporting spoke pivotably secured at one end to said ring-like intermediate member; an auxiliary tubular member slidably mounted on the main shaft through said ring-like intermediate member and adapted to engage at its lower end with said ring-like intermediate member; said ribs each having a main rib member on which an attachment member carrying an auxiliary rib member secured at one end to said attachment member is slidably mounted, each of said rib-supporting spokes being pivotably secured at the other end thereof to said slidable attachment member; a tubular lower member having at least one latch-engaging hole formed at the lower portion thereof and being slidably mounted on the main shaft below said ring-like intermediate member and each carrying a supporting rod member pivotably secured at one end to said tubular lower member and at the other end to an intermediate portion of said spoke; a compressible spring means mounted on the main shaft between said ring-like intermediate member and said tubular lower member and securely retained at its lower end in said tubular lower member; and a spring-like latch means contained in the lower portion of said tubular inner lower shaft member and having a latch projection normally protruding through the aligned latch-engaging slot, slit and hole when the umbrella is collapsed and capable of being depressed into this tubular inner lower shaft member when the umbrella is to be opened.
 2. A collapsible, automatically and smoothly openable umbrella structure according to claim 1 further comprising: said auxiliary tubular member having a flange formed at the lower end thereof; said ring-like intermediate member being slidably mounted on the lower end portion of said auxiliary tubular member and being provided at its lower end with an integrally formed open bottomed annular member slidably mounted on the main shaft and housing the flanged lower end portion of said auxiliary tubular member and having an inner space sufficient for the flanged lower end portion of said auxiliary tubular member to effect sliding movement on the main shaft in said space in the annular member and also sufficient for accommodating the other end of said compressible spring means mounted on said main shaft through said open bottom of the annular member; and said flange at the lower end of said auxiliary tubular member being engaged by said other end of the compressible spring means mounted on the main shaft. 